Portret van Raimund Dapp 1780 - 1880

This is a portrait of Raymund Dapp by Friedrich Wilhelm Meyer, made with etching around 1784. The stark profile view is framed within an oval, a form that echoes classical cameos, drawing on the prestige of ancient portraiture. Consider the powdered wig: it speaks of status and intellect. But have we forgotten its earlier significance? Across time, similar stylized hairstyles appear—from the towering coiffures of ancient Egypt to the elaborate wigs of the Renaissance. Each transformation carries a trace of its past, evolving with new social meanings. Think of the profile view too; it is reminiscent of Roman coins. These images were designed for widespread recognition. The etching captures not just the likeness of Dapp, but also an aspiration to lasting recognition. The human psyche remembers and reinvents such symbols, imbuing them with new life across centuries.